Corrugated separator for spools



July 16, 1968 A. E. BOGREN 3,392,827

CORRUGATED SEPARATOR FOR SPOOLS Filed Jan. 6. 1964 \e FIG-1 n 1: 1

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INVENTOR 33 j ALPEED'EBQQQEN I ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,392,827 CORRUGATED SEPARATOR FOR SPOOLS Alfred E. Bogren, New Milford, N.J., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Jan.,6, 1964, Ser. No. 335,758

4 Claims. (Cl. 206-65) 7 This invention relates to a separator for packaging spools in a container and more particularly relates to a double wall corrugated board separator and to a method and apparatus for constructing such a separator.

It is customary in industry to wind threads, yarn or twine into cops or cone-shaped rolls or spools by winding the strand material onto conical or frusto-conical cores or spindles. The shape of such cops, or cone-shaped rolls or spools, is not conducive to secure packaging for shipment of the material. Consequently, it often occurs that the outer courses of strand material become damaged or loosened and thus interfere with proper unwinding of the strand material.

3,392,827 Patented July 16, 19 68 'ice form an aperture therethrough, cutting two of the liners and one of the corrugated mediums to form an annular portion, and crushing the annular portion to form a recess in the separator.

s A still further object of this invention is to provide a novel apparatus for forming a separator, the apparatus comprising an annular punch, the punch having a cutting edge lying in a first plane, an annular knife, the knife having a greater circumference than the punch, the knife having a cutting edge lying in a second plane, the first plane and the second plane being spaced and parallel to each other, ejection means disposed inwardly of the annular punch, and-resilient means being disposed between the annular punch and the annular knife.

, With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more I clearly understood by reference to the following detailed It is an object of this invention to provide a novel separator for use in stacking and for use in packaging cops or spools of strand material such that damage to, or loosening of, the outer courses of strand material is reduced to a minimum.

4 Another object of this invention is to provide a novel separator comprising a board having a substantially uniform thickness, an aperture formed in the board, a portion of the board about the aperture having a reduced thickness, and a shoulder circumscribing the portion.

' Another object of this invention is to provide a separator for spools wherein the separator is formed of two- -ply material, a first aperture formed in one of the twoplies, the other of the two-plies having an annular portion struck therefrom, the annular'portion having a central aperture, the first aperture and the central aperture being concentric, the annular portion being disposed out of the plane of the other of the two-plies.

I Another object of this invention is to provide a corrugated separator for spools comprising a sheet of double wall corrugated board consisting of three liners and two corrugated mediums, an aperture extending through each of the liners and each of the corrugated mediums, an annular portion, the annular portion being struck from two of the liners and one of the'corrugated mediums, the annular portion and the portion of the other of the corrugated mediums adjacent thereto being compressed Whereby an annular shoulder is provided, the annular shoulder being spaced outwardly from and concentric with the aperture. g

1 Another object of this invention is to provide a corru gated separator, of the type described above, wherein the two corrugatedmediums differ in thickness, the annular portion being struck from the thinner one of the two corrugated mediums. 7

Another object of this invention is to provide a new and novel combination of'a first conical member,a second conical member and a corrugated separator, wherein the corrugated separator is of the type described above, an upper end of the first conical member being disposed in the aperture whereby the separator is supported by the first conical member, the second conical member having the base portion thereof engaging the annular portion whereby the second conical member is supported by the separator inwardly of the annular shoulder.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel method of forming a corrugated separator from a sheet of double wall corrugated board consisting of three liners and two corrugated mediums, the method comprising the steps of punching a portion of the corrugated board to description, the appended claimed subject matter and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the novel separator embodied in the present invention and also illustrates, in broken lines, a conventional carton or cardboard box for packaging a plurality of strand material, such as thread, yarn or the like.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of a plurality of spools of strand material which are maintained in stacked and spaced relationship by a plurality of the novel separator which is embodied in the present invention.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken on line 33 of FIGURE 2, and illustrates the constructional details of the novel separator.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of a novel cutting tool which is used to form the novel separator from a sheet of corrugated board.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, similar to FIGURE 4, and illustrates the cutting tool in a position at the bottom of a downward cutting stroke.

Referring to the drawing in detail, there is shown a separator, generally indicatedby the numeral 10, which comprises a sheet of double wall corrugated board consisting of three liners 11, 12 and 13 and two cor-rugated mediums 14 and 15. As is indicated in the drawing, the corrugated mediums 14 and 15 differ in thickness. The corrugated medium 14 is preferably of the type known in the art as a B flute while the corrugated medium 15 is preferably an A flute.

As is shown in FIGURE 1, the separator 10 is preferably substantially rectangular and is provided with oblique corners 16 for permitting the separator 10 to be readily inserted into a conventional, rectangular box or carton 17. The separator 10 is provided with a plurality of spaced apertures 18 and a plurality of spaced annular portions 19.

The apertures 18 and the annular portions 19 are formed in the separator 10 'by'the cutting tool, which is generally indicated by the numeral 20 in FIGURES 4 and 5. The cutting tool 20 is part of a conventional reciprocating punch press, not shown, and includes an annular punch 21 having a tapered cutting edge 22, and an annular knife 23 'having -a cutting edge 24. A series of annular punches 21 and annular knives 23 are secured in a mounting plate 25 in spaced relation so as to conform to the configuration of the spaced apertures 18 and annular portions 19, as is shown in FIGURE 1. A steel washer 26 is mounted in an annular aperture 27 provided in the mounting plate 25, and overlies a pair of interfitting washers 28 and 29. The annular knife 23 is disposed below the washer 26 and is snugly held between the washers 28 and 29. The annular punch 21 is disposed centrally of the washer 28 and is provided with a central plug 30. It is apparent from punch 21, is disposed in a plane which is parallel to and spaced from the plane of the cutting edge 24, of the knife 23.

An ejection plug 31, preferably formed of rubbe'nis provided within the annular punch 21 and underlies the central plug 30. Surrounding the annular punch 21 and the rubber ejection plug 31 is an annular resilient cushion member 32 which is likewise, preferably, formed of rubber. As the cutting tool 20 is forced into the corrugated separator 10, the annular punch 21 cuts an aperture 18 therein which extends through each of the liners 11, 12 and 13 and through each of the corrugated mediums 14 and 15. After the annular punch 21 has passed completely through the separator 10, the ejection plug 31, which was compressed during the cutting stroke, expands to force a piece of scrap 33 out from within the annular punch 21. The cutting edge 24, of the annular knife 23, cuts through the liner 11, the corrugated medium 14 and the liner 12 so as to form the annular portion 19 which is compressed by the annular cushion member 32 so as to be disposed below the corrugated medium 14 and thus provide an annular shoulder 34.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the cutting tool 20 forms the separator from the sheet of corrugated board by punching the scrap portion 33 so as to form the aperture 18, and that the annular knife 23 cuts through the two liners 11 and 12 and also through the corrugated medium 14 so as to form the annular port-ion 19 which is, in turn, crushed by the annular cushion member 32 to form a recess which is defined by the annular shoulder 34 and the upper surface of the annular portion 19.

As is apparent from FIGURES 2 and 3, the separator 10 is ideally suited for maintaining a plurality of cops or spools 40- in spaced relation within the carton or container 17. The cops or spools 40 are conventionally wound with strand material on a cone-shaped core or spindle 41.

As is shown in FIGURE 2, the first separator 10 is placed within the carton 17 and a first row of cops or spools 40 are placed thereon such that the base portion 42 of each of the cores or spindles 41 rests upon the annular portion 19 and is restricted from inadvertent movement by the annular shoulder 34, as is shown in FIGURE 3.

FIGURES 4 and 5,that the cutting edge 22, of the annular V A second separator 10 is then placed over this row of spools 40 such that the upper end 43, of each core or spindle 41, is held within an aperture 18. After the second or intermediate separator 10 is positioned, a second row of cops or spools 40 is placed thereon such that the base portion 42 of each core or spindle 41 rests upon the annular portion 19 and is held against movement by the annular shoulder 34. After the second row of cops or spools 40 is placed within the carton 17, a third or top separator is placed over the second row of cops or spools 40 to hold the upper ends of the spindles 41 apart, and then conventional carton flaps 44 are closed and sealed to complete the package.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that there has been provided a new and novel separator which is particularly adapted for packaging conical shaped articles, such as cops of thread, yarn or twine. Further, there has also been disclosed a new and novel cutting tool for forming separators in a new and novel fashion.

, ,While a preferred form of separator, a. preferred form of cutting tool and a preferred form of forming the separator has been disclos d in detail herein, it is to be understood that variations in the arrangement of parts and method steps may be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claimed subject matter. r

1. A separator for spools, said separator being formed of two-ply material, a first aperture formed in one of said two-plies, the other of said two-plies having an annular portion struck therefrom, said annular portion having a central aperture, said first aperture and said central aperture being concentric, said annular portion being compressed into a position intermediate the outermost surfaces of the separator and being disposed out of the plane of said other of said two-plies. I

'2. A corrugated separator for spools comprising a sheet of double wall corrugated board consisting of three liners and two corrugated mediums, an aperture extending through each of said liners and each of said corrugated mediums, an annular portion, said annular portion being struck from two of said liners and one of said corrugated mediums, said annular portion and the portion of the other of said corrugated mediums adjacent thereto being compressed whereby an annular shoulder is provided, said annular shoulder being spaced outwardly from and concentric with said aperture.

3. A corrugated separator as defined in claim 2 further characterized in that said two corrugated mediums differ in thickness, said annular portion being struck from the thinner one of saidtwo corrugated mediums.

4. The combination of a first conical member, a second conical member and a corrugated separator; said separator comprising a sheet of double wall corrugated board con- Sisting of three liners and two corrugated mediums, an aperture extending through each of said liners and each of said corrugated mediums, an annular portion, said annular portion being struck from two of said liners and one of said corrugated mediums, said annular portion and the portion of the other of said corrugated mediums adjacent thereto belng compressed whereby an annular shoulder is provided, said annular shoulder being spaced outwardly from and concentric with said aperture, an upper end of said first conical member being disposed in said aperture whereby said separator is supported by said first conical member; said second conical member having the base portion thereof engaging said annular portion whereby said second conical member is supported by said separator inwardly of said annular shoulder.

References Cited UNITED .STATES PATENTS 1,808,651 6/1931 Gibb et :al. 206- 2,326,928 8/ 1943 Courson 206-65 2,597,377 5/1952 Robinson 206-65 2,860,825 11/ 1958 Montegomery et a1. 206-65 X MARTHA L. RICE, Primary Examiner.

LOUIS G. MANCENE, Examiner. 

1. A SEPARATOR FOR SPOOLS, SAID SEPARATOR BEING FORMED OF TWO-PLY MATERIAL, A FIRST APERTURE FORMED IN ONE OF SAID TWO-PLIES, THE OTHER OF SAID TWO-PLIES HAVING AN ANNULAR PORTION STRUCK THEREFROM, SAID ANNULAR PORTION HAVING A CENTRAL APERTURE, SAID FIRST APERTURE AND SAID CENTRAL APERTURE BEING CONCENTRIC, SAID ANNULAR PORTION BEING COMPRESSED INTO A POSITION INTERMEDIATE THE OUTERMOST SUR- 